Defining cultural rights

by Patrice Meyer-Bisch

Issues at stake: concrete universality

Cultural rights still fall through the gap in the Human Rights' protection system. Identity related questions are at the most intimate level of respect for human dignity, the right of each individual to participate in "a social and international order in which the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration can be fully realized" (Universal Declaration of Human Rights, art. 28). They are at the root of violence and peace issues, of poverty and welfare. Fear of "relativism", although justified, long prevented us from considering each individual as a subject of his or her rights within a concrete environment.

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1st Conference on Cultural Policies in the Arab Region, Beirut 2010

Independent researchers in the Region produced eight country profiles following the Compendium model. In the context of the "Open Compendium" process, they were advised by Compendium authors. The Conference was attended by 75 experts (including Robert Palmer, Director of Culture and Cultural and Natural Heritage, Council of Europe, with a keynote). Main organiser: Culture Resource/Al Mawred Al Thaqafy (Cairo) and the European Cultural Foundation (Amsterdam).

From left: Ritva Mitchell (CUPORE / ERICarts); Jordi Baltà Portolés (Interarts); Hassan Abbas (Researcher, Syria): Laila Hourani (Brit. Council, Syria); Emad Abou Ghazi (Min. of Culture, Egypt); Ammar Kessab (profile author, Algeria)

42 Countries

• Quick Facts
• Cultural Policy Profiles, Updates, Key Documents, Downloads
• Compendium Grid in your own language
• Profiles of National Experts

NEW! Welcome to the Czech Republic in the Compendium!
A cultural policy profile for the Czech Republic in English and Czech is from now on available!
For 2010 Cyprus and Bosnia and Herzegovina have annouced their participation to the the Compendium which will then grow to 44 countries. 

NEW! The Cultural Policy Profiles of Spain is now available in Spanish! See our Download section to access it.

Transversal Themes

Presents integrated information on cross-cutting, transversal issues of priority to cultural policy makers and analysts:

• NEW! Section on ethics and human rights in cultural policy
• Cultural diversity
• Intercultural dialogue
• Status of artists
• International cultural co-operation and mobility

Cultural Statistics in Europe

Comparative tables and graphs on population, participation, markets, employment, public funding

Cultural Price Index on Goods and Services 

Comparative Overviews

Updated comparative tables on cultural policy governance and other issues.

Compilation of articles on comparative methodologies and the links between research and policy development

Publish your work in this space by submitting your articles for review!

Monitoring Standards, Developments and Trends in Cultural Policy

The Compendium Community is engaged in a number of exercises to monitor the implementation of:

• Standard Setting Instruments in the Cultural Sector 
• Developments in National Laws and Policies
• Key recommendations made within the Council of Europe National Cultural Policy Review Programme (in development)